The Illinois Department of Agriculture has issued a public health alert due to contaminated meat a Macoupin County meat locker. An undetermined amount of ground beef prepared under custom exemption may be contaminated with E. coli. The meat was prepared at David B’s Custom Meats in Carlinville, Illinois at the beginning of this year to current.
Custom exempt meat products are not inspected and cannot be offered for sale, because of this, a recall of the product was not requested. Despite the lack of a recall, IDOA is concerned that some of the meat may exist in customer’s freezers. These products should not be consumed and either discarded in the trash or returned to the place of origin.
The problem was discovered after a Macoupin County resident notified local health officials that they got sick after consumption of some of the ground beef. A sample of the product was collected and tested positive for E. coli.
E. coli is a potentially deadly food poisoning bacteria. It can cause severe dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps between 2 and 8 days with 3-4 days being the average. While most people recover, some people can develop a kidney condition known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. It is marked by easy bruising to the skin, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should immediately seek medical attention.